The evening session will explore key case law developments in disability discrimination, with a particular focus on discrimination arising from disability (Williams v Trustees of Swansea University Pension and Assurance Scheme), indirect discrimination (Government Legal Service v Brooks), discrimination because of perception (Chief Constable of Norfolk v. Coffey) and disability-related harassment (Peninsula Business Services v Baker). It will be led by two leading experts in the field of disability discrimination law, Catherine Casserley of Cloisters and Karen Jackson of didlaw.

Catherine Casserley, Cloisters

Catherine specialises in equality and discrimination, employment, human rights law. She is well known for her expertise in disability discrimination (“She knows everything there is to know about disability discrimination. An excellent advocate. She is responsive and great with clients” – Chambers and Partners 2018); advisory and litigation work in non-employment discrimination, spanning retail, transport (see Paulley) sports (recently instructed in a case against a major national sports body), education and housing. She has been instructed in nearly all the reported cases in these areas, as well as some of the key employment disability discrimination cases (e.g. Williams). She has obtained injunctive relief in a number of discrimination cases, both services and education.

She is regularly instructed by the Equality and Human Rights Commission, Law Centres, individuals, public authorities and employers and also advises disability organisations, other NGOs and the Equality and Human Rights Commission on a regular basis on litigation and legal policy issues, including on the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities . In 2015/16 she acted as the independent legal adviser to the House of Lords Committee on disability and the Equality Act 2010 and she continues to advise members of the Lords on its recommendations.

As well as strategic litigation she is also involved in individual, often complex, cases in the employment tribunal, such as long running disability discrimination trials. She has particular experience in cases involving those with mental health issues and Autistic Spectrum Disorder, particularly in employment and in education. She was shortlisted for Employment Junior of the Year, Legal 500 2018.